The T&C 50: The Richest Families You've Never Heard Of

Joan Davidson is president emeritus of the J.M. Kaplan Fund, created by her father Jacob in 1945 to support civic life in New York. Son Peter oversees its grants for parks, clean water, human rights, and social justice. Niece Isabel Fonseca (pictured, with her daughter) is married to Martin Amis.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Carnegie Hall would have been torn down had Jacob not saved it.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Stan is one of the biggest landowners inthe country, with more than 800,000 acres, from Malibu to Wyoming

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Cheng

When Cheng Yu-tung died last year at 91, his fortune—built via his New World Development property behemoth and Chow Tai Fook jewelry chain—was estimated at $13 billion. Now son Henry runs the businesses with help from his daughter Sonia, who oversees the Rosewood Hotel Group (including the Carlyle and Hôtel de Crillon), and son Adrian (pictured).

The eighth-generation descendant of the first Earl Cadogan, Charles (pictured being knighted) owns 93 acres in London. His low-profile son Edward, Viscount of Chelsea, is now in charge of the real estate.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Since 1717 the family has been developing London’s Sloane Street and King’s Roadinto shopping and dining destinations

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Steward

In 1995, five years before the dot-com bubble began, David L. Steward (pictured, with wife Thelma) had the foresight to found a technology service provider in St. Louis. Today his privately held company, World Wide Technology—the largest African-American-owned business in the U.S.—has more than $9 billion in annual revenue and over 4,000 employees. Meanwhile, daughter Kimberly is a producer behind such films as Manchester by the Sea, and son David II is founder of Lion Forge Comics.

THE INVISIBLE HAND WWT provides tech services to government agencies, including the Department of Defense.

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Kristiansen

Kjeld Kirk Kristiansen (right), grandson of the founder of Lego, is the richest Dane, with $21.2 billion. With his sister Gunhild he owns the company that controls the intellectual property of Lego. Kjeld’s daughter Agnete is an Olympic equestrian, and son Thomas Kirk (left) is being groomed to take over the business.

THE INVISIBLE HAND There’s still one toy that lures kids away from screens.

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Taylor

Last year St. Louis billionaire Jack Taylor died at 94, leaving behind his Enterprise rental car company in a year that saw a record $20.9 billion in revenue. Son and chairman/CEO Andrew acquired the Alamo and National car rental brands. Daughter Jo Ann Taylor Kindle is president of the Enterprise Holdings Foundation, which donated $27.3 million last year.

THE INVISIBLE HAND A thriving St. Louis: Since 1982 the family has given more than $860 million to local organizations, including $50 million to Washington University and $40 million to the St. Louis Symphony.

THE INVISIBLE HAND The next generation is part of the social entrepreneur revolution: Mortimer’s daughter Marissa (pictured) runs an incubator for nonprofits, including the Malala Fund.

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Ferrero

Giovanni (left), the third-generation scion of Ferrero, the third-largest confectionary company in the world, is chairman. His mother Maria Franca Fissolo (right) is Italy’s richest person, with $25.2 billion, beating her son by $1.6 billion.

THE INVISIBLE HAND In the 1940s founder Pietro added hazelnuts to save money on cocoa. Today we call his invention Nutella.

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Baillères

Last year few fortunes on earth grew more than that of theBaillères, a family that owns the world’s largest silver mining conglomerate. Patriarch Alberto, Mexico’s second-richest citizen, recently acquired Mexico City’s Palacio de Hierro, the country’s largest luxury retail chain.

THE INVISIBLE HAND There’s a decent chance the silver you’ll be bringing out for Thanksgiving came from a smelter owned by the Baillères.

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Tasca

The winemaking family’s Sicilian estates produce 3 millionbottles a year of their Tasca d’Almerita label, which has been around for 200 years. Count Giuseppe took over the business in 1950; now his son Lucio runs things with his two sons, Giuseppe and Alberto.

THE INVISIBLE HAND They’re leaders in agricultural sustainability.

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Bechtel

From the Hoover Dam to the Chunnel, the family’sconstruction/engineering empire has spanned the globe for five generations. Following the tunnel vision of great-great-granddad Warren, scion Brendan recently became chairman and CEO of Bechtel Group, the largest construction company in the United States.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Most urban mass transit systems exist because of them.

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Kwok

They’re the landlords of Asia’s most valuable real estate company: Hong Kong–based Sun Hung Kai Properties, founded by patriarch Kwok Tak-seng after World War II. His sons—including Thomas (pictured, with son Adam), who was jailed for bribery in 2014—inherited the multibillion-dollar firm and enlisted their own sons in the business.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Megadevelopments in Asia (the tallest building in Hong Kong and one of the largest malls) are property of the Kwoks.

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Mansour

Loutfy Mansour’s first business venture, in 1952, was a cotton export company; it has evolved into the 60,000-employee, $6 billion Mansour Group, the world’s largest distributor of GMvehicles. The company is now led by son Mohamed (aka “Mr. Mansour Chevrolet,” pictured) and his two brothers, Youssef and Yasseen.

THE INVISIBLE HAND They’re why you can get a Happy Meal in Egypt: The Mansour Group owns all of the country’s McDonald’s franchises.

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Bulgheroni

One of the richest Latin Americans not from Brazil or Mexico, Argentina’s Alejandro (with late brother Carlos) helped turn Bridas, their family-owned oil services company, into an industrial powerhouse before moving into specialty foods andwine.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Thank them when you eat blueberries in winter.

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Alfond

What Warren Buffett once described as his “worst deal” proved to be the best thing that ever happened to the Alfond family. In 1993, Harold Alfond sold his Maine-based Dexter Shoe Company to Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway for $433 million—in stock. Alfond’s estate, which he left to his four children (sons Bill and Ted are minority owners of the Boston Red Sox), was estimated to be worth $3 billion when he died in 2007.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Maine’s schools and healthcare have long been shaped by the family foundation.

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Quandt

Susanne Klatten (pictured, with husband Jan) is the granddaughter of industrialist Günther Quandt (whose son Herbert saved BMW from bankruptcy after WWII) and the richest woman in Germany. With her brother she has become a majority shareholder of BMW.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Prefer Rolls-Royces? They own that, too.

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Munger

Warren Buffett’s childhood friend and longtime business partner Charlie (pictured) once said he tried—unsuccessfully—to keep his income low enough not to be named on the Forbes richest Americans list. All six of Munger’s children are active in philanthropy, and several are political heavy hitters as well.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Some believe Munger is the real brains at Berkshire Hathaway. “Charlie does the talking,” Buffett has said. “I just move my lips."

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Schaeffler

Maria-Elisabeth and her son Georg (both pictured) are the owners of Schaeffler Group, one of the world’s largest producers of ball bearings. Together mother and son are worth $28.6 billion.

A 200-year-old German dynasty, the Reimanns avoid the spotlight (reportedly signing a pledge to do so at 18). JAB, their $19 billion company, has stakes in Bally, Belsta, and Coty and owns the world’s largest coffee company.

THE INVISIBLE HAND You’re probably wearing or drinking something of theirs right now.

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Rudd

Leslie Rudd is founder of the Rudd Group, a family-owned portfolio of food and wine businesses, many in Napa. In 2014 he sold Dean & DeLuca for $140 million. Daughter Samantha is said to be heir apparent.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Remember the days in New York when you didn’t have to empty your bank account for a corn muffin?

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Scott

The Montana- and Wyoming-based Scotts own FirstInterstate BancSystem, one of the largest—and most charitable—family-held banks in the U.S. They also own one of the biggest cattle operations.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Your financial consultant learned about “best practices” in family governance by reading about the Scotts in business school.

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Goldman

With at least 400 New York City properties in their portfolio, the Goldmans are America’s richest real estate family. Late patriarch Sol’s four children (including Amy, pictured) run the business.

THE INVISIBLE HAND From Madison Avenue to a stake in the new World Trade Center, their influence pervades the city.

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Barry Wolborsky

Kemper

William became president of Kansas City’s Commerce Bank in the early 1900s. Now it is in five states, and great-grandson David is CEO. Other members run United Missouri Bank and the Kemper Insurance behemoth. David’s daughter Ellie (left) is an actress, and her sister Carrie (above) is a TV writer.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Shaping the culture, from the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art to Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt.

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Cox

After losing the 1920 presidential election to WarrenHarding, James M. Cox started Cox Enterprises, now a $20 billion media and auto conglomerate run by his grandchildren, including Anne Cox Chambers (pictured).

THE INVISIBLE HAND Good chance they’re your TV provider. Or that you’ve used a Kelley Blue Book (which Cox publishes) when buying a car

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Hartono

Brothers Robert Budi and Michael Bambang Hartono, thesecond generation of Indonesia’s richest family (for the eighth consecutive year), inherited Djarum, one of the largest clove cigarette suppliers in Asia. Meanwhile, Budi’s son Martin is getting into tech venture capital with Global Digital Prima.

THE INVISIBLE HAND They own a majority stake in Bank Central Asia, which, as the largest lender in Indonesia, buoys the East’s economy.

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Johnson

Ned and daughter Abigail (no relation to J&J or S.C. Johnson) own Fidelity Investments, one of the U.S.’s largest mutual fund companies. With more than $16 billion, she’s the richest person in Massachusetts. Dad has $8 billion.

THE INVISIBLE HAND Nearly 25 million Americans have retirement plans with Fidelity. Do you?

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Paulmann

Horst is the founder and chairman of Cencosud, whichincludes the third-largest retail chain in Latin America. Histhree children are executives.

THE INVISIBLE HAND The 64-story, earthquake-proof Gran Torre Santiago in Santiago, Chile (pictured), is the tallest building in Latin America, and it’s theirs

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Arison

Lin (right), co-founder of the National Young Arts Foundation and Miami’s New World Symphony, is the matriarch of this family, whose fortune stems from her late husband Ted’s Carnival Cruise Lines. Ted’s son Micky is chairman of the board (and owns the Miami Heat), and investor Shari, Ted’s daughter, is said to be Israel’s richest woman. Granddaughter Sarah (left) is an arts patron who sits on various boards.

THE INVISIBLE HAND With their patronage, Miami has become an art mecca.

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